Metal sleeper for railways.



N 830,171. PATBNTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

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R. REIS, ADMINISTRATOR. METAL SLEEPER FOR RAILWAYS. APPLIOATION rum) JUNE 14. 1906.

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PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906. 0. L188, DEGD. E. REIS, ADMINISTRATOR.

METAL SLEEPER FOR RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED 311M214. 1906.

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PATENT ra on.

RICHARD REIS, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, ADMINISTRATOR OF OSWVALD LISS, DECEASED.

METAL SLEEPER FOR RAILWAYS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed June 14,1906. Serial No. 321,687.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD REIs, of Vienna, Austria-Himgary, administrator of the estate of OSWALD Liss, late of Vienna, Austria-Hungary, who invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Sleepers for Railways, do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The subject of this invention is a metallic sleeper consisting, essentially, of two slccperheads which carry the rails, said heads being embedded in the ballast of the track, are filled with said ballast, and held at a suitable distance apart by means of a coupling-piece.

The sleeper-heads are provided at their bases with projecting ribs serving as anchors and are of such section that the sleeper is capable of offering a higher resistance to lifting from the ballast than it could offer by reason of its wei ht alone, since in lifting it has to carry with it part of the ballast in which it is embedded. By reason of the division of the sleeper into three parts the transfer of the load to the ballast is effected by sharply-defined bearing-surfaces, so that not only asecure support, but also a lower stress on the sleeper, is obtained, which by reason of its having double the number of end surfaces as compared with ordinary sleepers offers double the resistance to lateral displacement of the track. By the filling of the sleeper-heads with ballast in combination with the anchoring effect produced by the projecting ribs the weight required for the stability of the track is considerably in creased.

In the drawings an iron sleeper of this kind is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in plan and side elevation, respectively, while Figs. 3 to 10 show various forms of construction of sleeper-head in transverse and longitudinal section. Fig. 1 1 shows sections of rolled iron which may be employed for the coupling-pieces. Figs. 12 and 13 show the method of fastening these coupling-pieces to the sleeper-heads. Fig. 14 shows in transverse section two sleepers connected to the rail, which sleepers are provided with an arrangement which permits further increase of theload available for preventing lifting of said sleepers.

The sleeper consists of three separate parts-via, two hollow heads a, which lie beneath the rails of the track, and a couplingpiece I) for uniting these two parts.

The sleeper-heads a can be made of iron or steel and can be cast, pressed in molds, or rolled. Their section may be varied according to the material to be employed, as shown by way of example in Figs. 3, 5, 7, and 9. In all cases, however, it forms a closed figure, the base-line of which projects a suitable distance at both longitudinal edges of the sleeper-head. The ribs (1, formed as above mentioned and extending beyond the base of the sleeper-head in the case of sleeperheads Which are cast, form one piece therewith, Fig. 3. In the case of rolled sleeperheads, in which the connection of the pieces of rolled metal forming the sleeper-heads is made by welding or riveting, the longitudinal edges of the base-plate are united with the edges of the rolled metal fastened thereto so as to form the ribs, Figs. 5, 7, and 9.

The sleeper-heads so produced are open at both ends and are filled with ballast and are embedded in the ballast of the track after they have been united by the coupling-piece I), this being preferably effected at the place where they are to be laid. The connection of the piece b with the sleeper-heads is effected by bolts, for which purpose the channeliron or angle-iron b (which according to its section, Fig. 11, is placed on the sleeper-head, Fig. 12, or is inserted into the same, Fig. 13) and also the upper surfaces of the sleeperhcads a are provided with holes for the bolts,

in which arrangement the distance apart of as an anchor, since they offer great resistance to lifting of the sleeper and insure the necessary steady'support for the stability of the track. Since, however, the width of these ribs for practical reasons cannot exceed a certain amount, it is advisable, more especially in railways for express traflic, to increase this resistance by placing on the ribs of each two adjacent sleepers perforated iron plates, or perforated corrugated sheet-metal plates, or wire netting or woven fabric stretched on rigid iron frames, as indicated at e in Fig. 14, whereby the greatest possible loading of the sleepers is obtained by reason of the ballast resting 'on these pieces 6.

Sleepers of the kind above described, by reason of their weight and the way in which they are anchored in the ballast, ofler the necessary resistance to lifting, and by reason of the doubling of the number of their end surfaces they also offer double the resistance to lateral displacement of the track, so that even with the most rapid transit of vehicles over the track very great stability and a steady support of the track is insured. Since, moreover, sleepers of this kind can be weighted with inexpensive material, such as roadmetal or the like, there is no increase of cost in this respect.

What is claimed is l. A hollow sleeper-head comprising a base portion for the reception of ballast and sides converging therefrom on each side of the base, for the purpose specified.

2. A'sleeper comprising a plurality of hollow metallic heads having sides converging from the base to the top portions thereof, longitudinal flanges formed at the base of said sides, coupling members secured to the top portions, and plates resting on the flanges.

3. A sleeper comprising two hollow metallic heads having sides converging from the base to the top portions thereof, longitudinal flanges formed at the base of said sides, a coupling member bolted to the tops of each head, a chair-seat secured to the latter, and a perforated plate resting on and connecting flanges on each head.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD REIS, Administrator of the estate of Oswald Liss, de-

ceased. Witnesses:

J OSEF RUBRASOH, ALvEsro S. HoGUE. 

